Foggy October morning. Pumpkin spice coffee in-hand. Deep breaths of the dense autumn air. 🍁🍂🍁☕

Part of my current and sudden #writing struggle is dealing with the notion that what I have to say isn’t worth anyone paying attention to.

How do I convince readers that what I have to say is worth their time?

To me… wasting someone’s time is a morbid sin.

Feeling guilty about not writing since the glory that was Blaugust.

I don’t have the energy to pretend I knew about #Blaugust.

Yep, never seen this before. Sounds like a good idea.

Unfortunately, with so much going on in August into September, my writing gets put on the back-burner. I need my creative energy for this August push.

I can’t break away completely, though. Hoping Micro.Blog will keep me honest.

My August looks to be one of the busiest for both work and home life.

Multiple deadlines.

Three month old at home.

Daughter on the verge of obtaining full driver’s license.

This will definitely bleed into September.

The summer of 2024, we are in between heatwaves. I didn’t even record the most recent heatwave. Another is slated for next week.

Considering a second job just to pay my electric bill.

The hottest, haziest day of the year calls for the darkest goth playlists. We’re talking Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Bauhaus, Love Like Blood, Two Witches, Switchblade Symphony and the darkness under a red-orange sun goes on. 💀🧛🏼‍♂️🕶🪦🏴🕸

At a scifi #writing convention a few years ago, I attended a panel: “50 story ideas in 50 minutes.”

Five writers took turns coming up with story ideas. That’s all it was. Many of the ideas were not winners, but the point was to generate the ideas.

They did it in time. It was great to watch.

My favorite Eddie Murphy films are Harlem Nights and The Golden Child.

Though now I’m realizing… The Golden Child is basically Axel Foley as the lead in an urban fantasy film.

WAIT… I just remembered Coming to America. Oh yeaaah.

As a latchkey kid in the 80s, I saw a lot of Eddie Murphy. I stopped paying attention when he started doing the zany/family movies in the 90s and 2000s.

Then I caught Eddie Murphy in Dolemite is My Name, the 2019 biopic.

He should have gotten an Oscar for lead actor.

I just watched the 1984 Beverly Hills Cop. As a lover of 80s movies (and being an Eddie Murphy fan) I’d never seen it.

I don’t see the big deal, unless his wisecracking and OP action skills were a newer thing on screens back then?

I’m really having fun with Album Whale!

Album lists and music discussions, with personal stories all wrapped up in a nice website.

It’s like being in a record shop listening to unappreciated scholars argue about music.

I Don’t Need Your Intro to Goth …five goth bands that made me fall in love with the genre in the early 90s

Check out my album list, I Don’t Need Your Intro to Goth, on Album Whale! albumwhale.com/luis/i-do…

In light of the latest big name author accused of bad behavior, I’m reminded that I dropped the idea of having artist “heroes” a long time ago.

Lost power for nearly five hours due to severe storms in the middle of the night.

I can handle not having power, but cell service was also down, which means I wasn’t connected.

I don’t like being involuntarily disconnected from the Internet. There’s a certain shame to this fact.

I don’t participate in toxic #StarWars or #StarTrek fandom.

I DO participate in constructive criticism of such franchises. In fact, I love these types of conversations.

To be clear: not liking a TV show/movie doesn’t mean you’re a toxic fan. However, reasonable adults know when the line is crossed.

The majority of what #StarWars videos YouTube recommends are toxic “Star Wars is woke!” and “Star Wars SUCKS!” and its very refreshing to find videos discussing JUST the show, easter eggs, etc., which is why Iike channels like Screencrush.

I don’t participate in toxic fandom.

I’m disappointed in seeing a video titled “Has THE ACOLYTE Killed Star Wars?” on the Screencrush YouTube channel. The thumbnail has “RUINING STAR WARS?” on it. I’ve always liked Screencrush. I’m not sure if its a toxic video or constructive criticism.

Do I give them the benefit and find out?

I do the Freman knife salute thing every time I go to cut vegetables or meat.

I’ve cut myself twice.

Heatwave, endgame: as far as heatwaves go, this was brutal and long. My remote schedule and combined FMLA kept me mostly inside.

I know others are not so fortunate, so I consider myself very lucky.

Heatwave, Day 6: was only outside for 15 minutes and I felt like I was going to warp and melt like a vinyl record.

Not the best day for yard work.

Current temperature: 94 degrees

Real feel: 100 degrees

Heatwave, Day 5: The temperature lives up to the hype. I haven’t been outside yet, but will be out in long sleeves and pants because DATE NIGHT.

I’m also seeing a music legend perform as part of his final tour.

Current Temperature: 95 degrees

Real Feel: 100 degrees

Heatwave, Day 4: The Cruel Summer begins. I don’t really think that. I just like that song.

The hottest day of the year is predicted for tomorrow. Of course, that’s date night, the first since the arrival of the baby.

Current Temperature: 91 degrees

Real Feel: 98 degrees

Heatwave, Day 3: bracing for the worst that’s yet to come. Lucky enough to remain indoors for the entire day.

I dread my electric bill next month.

Current Temperature: 91 degrees

Real Feel: 98 degrees

Apparently Mark Ruffalo was in town shooting an HBO drama.

A handful of film productions have been filmed in my little metropolis over the years; most notably was the opening sequence in Transformers 2, filmed down the street from my mom’s house.

Heatwave, Day 2: Out and about during the start of the peak high temperatures.

My work clothes consists of long pants and long sleeves, which have now become part of my skin.

Current temperature: 91 degrees Real Feel: 97 degrees

Heatwave, Day 1: it’s technically not a heatwave yet, but the next seven days will see increased temperatures.

The longest heatwave in this area was 10 days, and it was over 80 years ago. We don’t expect to beat that.

Current temp: 89 degrees

“May thy knife chip and shatter.”

-Me, before any culinary competition

Early 80s synth pop is the perfect soundtrack for every Friday morning, especially hazy mornings.

I’m not going to post screenshots of my synth playlist because this isn’t Twitter.

It’s interesting to see different reactions to the recent #AI news on my social media channels…

Pros: Yeah, let’s see where Apple goes with this.

Fans: WOOH!!! LFG!!

Cyberpunks: this is literally our worst nightmare.

Super bon bon, super bon bon…

On my blog today, I reflected on my time using Micro.Blog, the spirit of the #indieweb and cross-posting to the #Fediverse.

I’m no expert in any of this, but I figured it could be useful to anyone who was thinking about such things.

blog.vzqz.io/2024/06/1…

Uh ohh, what did I miss from #WWDC? Good news, I hope?

I’m not a developer, but I like being in the space.

Retrieved my copy of On Writing… I have a full life, but I’ll find some way to make my writing dream work.

I know, the best way to get better is to WRITE.

It’s still good to have a guide or two from the best.

I read Micro.blog posts from some of the writers I follow and they are so poetic with describing the simplest things.

I’m inspired to do the same, but my lack of poetic talent would make a Vogon proud.

Again, Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison was released today.

Wondering if I should buy it…

The only “Recall” I’m interested in is TOTAL…

Side note: get your ass to Mars!

Been a fan of The Crüxshadows for a long time. Their music really hit me at a crucial time in my life.

I regret not seeing them live.

Sometimes I just look at a person, and I think… they’d never make it on Arrakis.

Okaaay, so I just had to choose a different go-to coffee brand because my old brand (Wegman’s) uses a chemical decaf process. ☕️

I’m Gen-X. I drank from the hose as a kid, and ate packets of colored sugar with a sugar stick.

NOW I’m caring about decaf processes. 😣

Interesting to see the #StarTrekDiscovery reaction on different platforms.

Micro.Blog: A fitting end to the series.

Mastodon: WE LOVE #DISCO SO MUUUCH, SO SAD ITS OVER.

Reddit: Booo Disco! Let it END!

Yeah, I’ve been going to Reddit less and less.

My new audiobook scifi channel will most likely consist of: Red Rising (P. Brown), Cyberpunk 2077: No Conscience (R. Kosik), Necrotech (K. Alexander), Fault Tolerance (V. Valdes), Old Man’s War (J. Scalzi), Space Opera (C. Valente)

Just realized, I probably can’t fit all these on my phone.

I think my Scalzi kick has to do with Wil Wheaton narrating. They go so well together.

Old Man’s War is not read by Wheaton, but I wonder how different the book would be if he were the narrator.

Wondering if I can start up multiple books at once. Kind of like my own scifi-type of channel: listen to a different book each day of the week, and save one day for “reruns” like my current Scalzi kick.

I mean, 76 unread audiobooks, sheesh.

Plus, I still have 11 credits.

Been on such a Scalzi kick lately. Just fired up Old Man’s War again. Finished Red Shirts (again) and was on the Interdependency series (again, which is my favorite.)

I have 76 audiobooks that have yet to be listened to, but I’m considering the entire OMW series of six books.

I thought about trying to start a little community for all my geeky obsessions in micro.blog, but I also know it’s a lot of work. Plus, there’s a real chance that it doesn’t take.

Loving the conversation about community here on micro.blog …not sure if that’s even the intention of this site, but I’m still loving the IndieWeb concept, because it feels way better than mainstream social media.

Sun’s rising. Another sleepless night. 🙃

…I don’t know what those perks are. I realize that doesn’t make sense.

I haven’t slept in seventeen days.

Last night: no sleep. Tiny son was up, so we were up. He finally went to sleep as the first morning birds started chirping.

Tonight: he sleeps.

Being seventeen days old certainly has its perks.

Me: AI? Meh. Useful tool, but I’m not going to get caught up in the hype.

Also Me, when granted access to ChatGPT 4o: zOmG!!!

It’s been fifteen days since I last slept.

I see new colors of the spectrum.

Maybe it’s just the Matrix.

B-Day +3 …still no baby. Lots of contractions, no consistency or other changes.

B-Day +2 …no baby yet. My son seems to prefer his mother’s knack for procrastination than his graphic designer father’s adherence to deadlines.

I’ve been on baby watch since Saturday.

My GF’s due date was yesterday.

It’s been a waiting game ever since. 👶

Also, RE: Apple…

Let this be a lesson to anyone who creates or wants to create: don’t let go of the things you love to use to achieve your creative goal.

Oh, Apple apologized.

I was never angry, just disappointed.

“Disappointed” is my default attitude to Big Tech these days.

My writing is so bad, AI companies wouldn’t even plagerize it. 😒

I didn’t vote, and I feel pretty bad about it. 😒

Been up since 4 a.m. Still battling a weird stomach issue because I had so much cheese the night before. A wise man once said, “Any amount of cheese is too much cheese.” 🧀 🧀 🧀

Plus side note: I get to see TOOL live tonight, in my hometown. 🎸🎤

Note to self: you CAN eat too much fancy cheese at dinner, no matter how light your entree was.

Out of all the wineries that surround Lake Seneca that I’ve visited, there is one in particular that outshines them all. The quality of their wine is so top tier that I enjoy types of wine that I’m not even in to. It’s amazing what craftsmanship and attention to detail can produce. 🍷

I never get tired of this view.

Lake Seneca, NY

Early morning on the road trip. Watkin’s Glen, NY.

At a little local breakfast diner.

The “classic” station is playing hits such as Alanis and Three Doors Down.

Wow, how times have changed.

I love this time of year. The pre-sunrise sky is beautiful against the darkness of the passing night. The strongest stars are still glistening, reminding us that they are still there. ✨🌌

This morning, a professor (guy I’ve never seen before on campus) gave me his full punch-card when I was trying to buy my coffee.

He did not know it was my birthday. ☕️

My 46th birthday today ended with dinner at my favorite restaurant with my daughter and girlfriend, then ice cream at my favorite indie ice cream shop. 🍨🎂🌅

NPR reported this morning that the smoke from the Canadian wildfires will reach as far south as South Carolina, but the worst air quality will be in eastern Pennsylvania. We’re number one, baby! 🥳🤩🔥💨🌆

The Canadian wildfire smoke hanging over the air, making the sun a dense deep orange disc is the perfect time for me to start my annual listen of the Neuromancer audiobook.

Today I’ll be at the U.S. Supreme Court. Let me know if you want me to pass along any messages to any Supreme Court justices! ⚖️👩‍⚖️👨‍⚖️

In for a busy weekend that even getting up at 4:30 a.m. won’t solve. Still, there’s wine, food, and friends at the end of all of it! 🍷 🍱 🌅

Although I’ll miss the majority of it, I’m looking forward to Micro.camp.

What a great time to be a geek. We have The Mandalorian and Star Trek: Picard finales coming up. 🚀 🪐 🖖

Photoshoot Day 1: all going to plan… so far. Knocking on wood for a smooth afternoon. 🤜🪵

Sunday night before a hectic work week. Multi-day photoshoot ahead. More design deadlines. A lot going on, but ready for it like Luke vs. the Empire. 🚀

Spent most of Sunday afternoon in a very nice downtown cafe with my girlfriend, writing and catching up with mentions.

Such a warm welcome from my previous posts. I was down and out (health-wise), then super-busy with work/life. I honestly didn’t even realize I had mentions! I feel bad that so much time went by without replying, but I tried replying to them all.

You’ve never heard of “breakfast hummus” because I just invented it.

6:50 a.m. EST, the first thunder of the year.

We all have detention today.

Shermer High School. March 24, 1984.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 just gets better and better. 🖖

Every other day I wake up at 4 a.m. to help my girlfriend go to the gym. When I walk her to her car, it’s dark and silent. It’s almost 7 a.m. now and I was just outside… birds are chirping like it’s some sort of avian Woodstock.

Johnny Mnemonic (the 1995 film) is better than you remember.

Every Mazzy Star album is its own universe.

Listened to Mazzy Star’s Seasons of Your Day in full for the first time in a long time.

It speaks to the band’s progression without relying on its past achievement. Subtle differences remind you who they are while giving you something new to discover with each listen.

Just listened to Still, the most recent Mazzy Star EP. Reminded me of the So Tonight That I Might See era. Beautiful as always.

Wondering why my photos don’t show up on the March Photoblogging Challenge? Am I missing some sort of code, or hashtag?

I am finally satisfied enough to say that I have a functioning blog. It took a while, but the info I found on Micro.blog helped.

It’s not perfect, and there’s a lot I want to change, but that will come in due time, as I continue to relearn webdev.

Not spoiling, but Star Trek: Picard is the forward-facing Star Trek series I’ve been waiting for since Star Trek: Nemesis.

Oh, okay. I thought my longer blog posts showed the first few lines before cutting off and showing the link. I guess I was wrong.